MIX 101.5 and WRAL-TV Beat Heat For Successful Mediathon for BackPack Buddies

WRAL-FM's Two Men (Kyle Smelser, left, and Bryan Lord) collect donations at the Triangle Town Center drop-off location for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies.

Much like the summer heat, WRAL-TV viewers and MIX 101.5 listeners kept the phone lines and Triangle parking lots hot on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, bringing in donations during the stations second annual Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies. The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle worked with the Big 5 and WRAL-FM to help keep hungry kids fed. The day saw more than $188,000 raised to support the IFFSs successful BackPack Buddies program.

What a great team effort, said WRAL-FM Promotions Director Jason Newton. Its always our responsibility to have great customer service, and appreciate everyone who took the time to donate, but I keep hearing, No thank you, for what you are doing. The praises were nice to receive, which only further proved the team efforts do make an impact in community.

MIX 101.5 personalities collected donations of non-perishable food items and backpacks at two locations. Two Men and a Moms morning personalities went head to head to compete to collect the most. Team Mom, headed by WRAL-FMs Sarah King, manned the Lake Boone Shopping Center location near Food Lion, while Team Men, her morning co-hosts Bryan Lord and Kyle Smelser collected at the Triangle Town Center.

I am so proud of our listeners! said King. The Triangle never ceases to surprise me. Their capacity to put themselves in other people shoes and then turn that empathy into generosity is a beautiful thing, and I am so very grateful to be a part of it!

WRAl-TV's Monica Laliberte accepts a donation from Syngenta for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle during the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

WRAL-TV got in on the action, hosting a daylong phone bank in Studio A, including live reports during the days newscasts and a special after the noon news. The Big 5 pulled out a secret weapon to help motivate viewers to give. WRAL-TV Five On Your Side Executive Producer Monica Laliberte brought along her service-dog-in-training, Bongo, to help plea for donations.

We always hear about groups taking trips to exotic places to feed hungry children, she said. Many of us just dont think enough about the thousands of children right here in the Triangle who go hungry! Its beyond sad. The BackPack Buddies program is such an awesome and easy way to help. And Bongo who will do ANYTHING for a food-related cause did an awesome job helping out!

Thanks to all the generous MIX 101.5 listeners and WRAL-TV viewers who came through to bring donations and make monetary contributions during the 2017 Mediathon!

Thanks to WRAL-FMs Jason Newton, WRAL-TVs Phyllis Parish & WRAL-TVs Wendy Gatlin for these capcom photos.

Thank You! From WRAl-TV & MIX 101.5 to all the viewers & listeners who donated during the 2017 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

WRAL-FMs Jim Kelly & Sarah King collect their first donation of the day at the Lake Boone Shopping Center to start the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

WRAL-FMs Jim Kelly & Sarah King collect their first donation of the day at the Lake Boone Shopping Center to start the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

WRAL-FMs Jim Kelly & Sarah King collect their first donation of the day at the Lake Boone Shopping Center to start the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

MIX 101.5s Mom Sarah King (center) greets two special visitors at Food Lion MIX Kyle Smelsers wife, Sarah (left), and MIX Bryan Lords fianc , Kate (right), who both brought donations for the 2017 MIX 101.5/WRAL-TV Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

MIX 101.5s Mom Sarah King (center) greets two special visitors at Food Lion MIX Kyle Smelsers wife, Sarah, and MIX Bryan Lords fianc , Kate, who both brought donations for the 2017 MIX 101.5/WRAL-TV Mediathon for BackPack Buddies.

MIX 101.5 and WRAL-TV host a daylong Mediathon for BackPack Buddies on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, collecting donations at two locations including the Triangle Town Center.

BIG Mike challenged all of Knightdale to step up and support the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle#BackPackBuddies programs. Plus he gave big and got to crank up the Carolina Hurricanes siren!#TeamMen

MIX 101.5 listeners bring donations to the Triangle Town Center drop-off location for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies.

Kyle Smelser, from WRAL-FMs Two Men & a Mom, collects donations at the Triangle Town Center drop-off location for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies.

WRAL-FMs Two Men (Kyle Smelser, left, and Bryan Lord) collect donations at the Triangle Town Center drop-off location for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies.

MIX 101.5 listeners bring donations to the Triangle Town Center drop-off location for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for the BackPack Buddies.

William Winslow, The Food Drive Kid, stopped by #TeamMom headquarters at Food Lion for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies and saw WRAL-FMs Jim Kelly! William is only 11 years old and has raised $11,000 for #BackPackBuddies THIS YEAR.

William Winslow, The Food Drive Kid, stopped by #TeamMom headquarters at Food Lion for the 2017 WRAL-TV/MIX 101.5 Mediathon for BackPack Buddies and saw WRAL-FMs Jim Kelly! William is only 11 years old and has raised $11,000 for #BackPackBuddies THIS YEAR.

Michael & Son Services NC stopped by #TeamMen with a $5000 donation to MIX 101.5s #BackPackBuddies Mediathon with WRAL TV! A big thank you to them this event wouldnt be possible without our amazing sponsors!

WRAL-TV Social Media Manager Wendy Gatlin (right) posted this pic with WRAL-TV 5 On Your Side Executive Producer Monica Lali

LINK:	http://www.capitolbroadcasting.com/2017/07/21/mix-101-5-and-wral-tv-be...
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